>IT is shown that about 40 per cent of diabetes sufferers would be at risk of going blind. This is because diabetes damages the fine blood vessels in the retina, which is a light-sensitive tissue that helps us to see.
Damage to the retina due to high blood sugar level is called diabetic retinopathy and usually affects both eyes.
There are four stages to this condition; the initial stage is when the tiny blood vessels supplying the retina start to swell. As the disease progresses some of these blood vessels become blocked. If diabetes is not well managed, this will affect more blood vessels which cause the retina to be deprived of nutrients and blood supply.
The deprivation stimulates the body to actually grow new blood vessels to try to meet the retina?s needs.
At this stage, it is relatively advanced and the growth of new blood vessel is referred to as proliferative retinopathy. These new blood vessels grow along the retina and on to the gel-filled surface of the eye.
While the new growth should be a solution, it actually increases the risk of blindness as these fragile, abnormal blood vessels are easily damaged resulting in blood leaks that cause blurring and loss of vision. Due to this potential risk of vision loss, it advisable that people with diabetes get a thorough eye examination yearly.
Diet plays a crucial role in managing blood sugar and reducing the risk of diabetic complications.
In a previous issue of Archives of Ophthalmology, a study involving periodic data collection of food intake in 77,562 women and 40,866 men over an average period of 15 years shows that a diet high in fruits and vegetables decreases the risk of eye disease.
It is found that flavonoids, a group of antioxidants found in many fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, and particularly abundant in berries help to reduce free radical damage to tissue and aid in tissue repair.
Among the berries, bilberries have been used traditionally since 1945 for diabetic neuropathy in France.
It seems that the flavonoids in bilberries identified as anthocyanidins increase circulation in the fine blood vessels of the eyes as well as help strengthen blood vessel walls. Blood vessel walls are composed of collagen that maintains their integrity.
Bilberry anthocyanidins are shown to possess collagen-stabilising action and smooth muscle-relaxing activity which works favourably in the tissues of the retina.
Bilberries can be eaten fresh though they are rather sour but more commonly they are found in jams. In order to enjoy the benefits of this fruit, it is advised that one consumes at least two cups of fresh bilberries a day.
With modern technology, bilberries are now available in supplements and a good product should deliver 25 per cent anthocyanidins. Some supplements may have added other herbs to enhance the effectiveness of bilberries and these include eyebright and lycium.
Apart from anthocyanidins, nutrients required for eye health are vitamin A, beta carotene, C, E, lutein, zeaxanthin, and zinc.
Food sources of lutein and zeaxanthin include egg yolks, kale, spinach, romaine lettuce, broccoli, zucchini, red peppers and Brussels sprouts.
Fatty acids such as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) from tuna oil are also important as DHA is naturally concentrated in the retina of the eye require for healthy retinal function.
The writer is a pharmacist who is actively involved in the dissemination of information on natural healthcare and holistic therapies. For more information, she can be contacted at csyam@streamyx.com
This story was first published in the New Straits Times on Aug 25, 2008.
